Tome of Troubled Times-Chapter 738 (1): Changan, Changan

Clouds stretch across the vast Qinling; my home is beyond sight. Snow blankets Languan, and my steed refuses to advance.[1]

The Qin Mountains were a defining boundary between the north and the south. Zhao Changhe rode northward at full speed, fortunate enough to witness firsthand how a single mountain range could divide the land—south of it, there was no snow in sight, yet north, a vast expanse of white blanketed the world.

The moment he crossed the ridge, the chill hit him like a blade. Even Snow-Treading Crow shivered involuntarily, hesitating for a brief moment before continuing onward.

Staring at the snow-covered world ahead, Zhao Changhe felt a surge of emotion.

It had been the first snow when he returned from the seas. Now, winter had yet to pass, yet somehow, it felt as though years had gone by. How much had happened in just two or three months?

Situ Xiao once joked that if someone cultivated deeply enough, they might start growing white hair.

It was just a jest—of course, there were no actual white hairs—but every joke held a grain of truth. In the past few months, Zhao Changhe had roamed across the divine land, his cloak heavy with snow, his saber tested in countless battles. He had shed blood time and again, and his mind had been constantly strained by countless schemes and calculations. A lesser man would have long since collapsed under the weight of it all.

And now, the only place he had yet to set foot in lay before him.

Guanlong... Chang’an.

A name steeped in history, one that stirred the emotions of any who heard it. And when tied to the Li Clan, that feeling only intensified. For a moment, Zhao Changhe found himself reluctant to see them as enemies.

But it was clear that just as the Cui Clan of Qinghe and the Wang Clan of Langya in this world had little in common with the ones in his original world, so too did the Li Clan of Longxi. They had nothing to do with the history he once knew. There was no reason to attach any special sentiment to them.

What this world did have in common with the other one was that Chang’an was still the ancient capital of countless dynasties. Though Xia Longyuan had established his rule in the modern capital due to the qi of Beimang, most dynasties before had chosen Chang’an for its unparalleled strategic advantages. That much had not changed.

And, at least, he was not blindly walking into unfamiliar territory. He had a local guide, none other than Yue Hongling herself.

She was a true daughter of Shaanxi... though thankfully, without the infamous accent.

Yue Hongling asked, “Luoxia Mountain Village isn’t far from the foot of Huashan[2]. Did you know that?”

Zhao Changhe felt a bit awkward. “Yeah, I know.”

He knew, but he had never thought to visit. And now, being called out on it, he felt a little guilty. But truly, he had been far too busy. When could he have found the time? Not to mention, she herself had not returned home in who knows how long.

Speaking of Huashan and the surname Yue, the omen was not exactly auspicious[3]. And it was not about Yue Hongling—but her master, Yue Fenghua.

The source of this c𝐨ntent is freeweɓnovēl.coɱ.

Yue Hongling was an orphan from the disaster-stricken lands near Huashan, taken in and raised by Yue Fenghua, who gave her his surname. Her original family name had long been lost, but thanks to this, no matter how far she wandered through the jianghu, she still had a home to return to. That was why the matter of Zhao Changhe proposing a marriage had come up before.

Luoxia Mountain Village was a minor, third-rate sect. Yue Fenghua himself was only at the seventh layer of the Profound Gate, and the organization he led was not even on par with Luo Family Village. Yet, due to Yue Hongling’s fame, the village’s reputation had spread far and wide.

Back then, Village Lord Luo had even suggested to Luo Zhenwu that if he wanted to claim Yue Hongling, he should target the mountain village, perhaps acquiring her by threatening her master.

In truth, Village Lord Luo lacked proper research. His assumption was purely speculative. Many others had entertained the same idea, yet none had acted on it. Why was this? Yue Hongling had no shortage of enemies in the jianghu, after all, yet no one had ever targeted Luoxia Mountain Village.

This was because, on the surface, Yue Hongling had long been expelled from her sect.

Long ago, when she had barely stepped into the jianghu, a young and reckless Yue Hongling had killed a servant of the Wei Clan of Longxi who had been committing heinous acts. Yue Fenghua had no choice but to publicly sever ties with her, formally expelling her from the sect to protect the rest. This was also the reason Yue Hongling had never returned home. Since the incident had been relatively minor, and with the expulsion serving as a clear statement, the Wei Clan did not pursue Luoxia Mountain Village, nor did they feel the need to hunt down a young girl across the world. The matter was simply left behind.

However, from the very beginning, Yue Fenghua had made it clear to his disciple that this was merely a protective measure. “We still consider you one of us. When the storm passes, you can return.” With such words spoken, Yue Hongling bore no resentment toward her master—she knew her youthful recklessness had brought trouble upon her sect. After parting from her teacher in tears, she continued to regard Luoxia Mountain Village as her home.

What Yue Fenghua truly felt in his heart was unknown, but objectively, his decision freed Yue Hongling from all burdens, allowing her to rise as the most renowned heroine of her generation. The stain of expulsion was not truly a stain. Everyone understood that it was the result of her righteous actions rather than some actual wrongdoing.

As for her enemies, they saw no reason to trouble Luoxia Mountain Village. For all they knew, she might resent her former sect—targeting them could very well simply be doing her a favor. As a result, Luoxia Mountain Village remained untouched, undisturbed, and completely at peace.

Later, as Yue Hongling’s strength grew and her fame spread, the dynamics of their relationship shifted.

By the time she had reached the seventh or eighth layer of the Profound Gate, ranking in the top ten of the hidden dragons, she had become a powerhouse in her own right. At that time, there were barely a hundred experts worldwide who had broken through to the Profound Mysteries. Even the Wei Clan’s leader, Wei Changming, was only at the ninth layer of the Profound Gate. Yue Hongling, still so young, was already on the verge of standing on equal footing with him, with far greater potential at that.

Any aristocratic family with an ounce of intelligence would not dwell on some trivial matter of a servant’s death from years past, not to mention that Wei Changming likely hadn’t even been aware that something like that happened. Instead, they would take advantage of their “shared history” and use it as an opportunity to demonstrate magnanimity, seeking to forge ties with a rising hidden dragon.

And so, Wei Changming suddenly became Yue Fenghua’s sworn brother, publicly declaring that Luoxia Mountain Village was now under the Wei Clan’s protection. With the weight of such backing, Yue Fenghua no longer had any concerns and proudly proclaimed that Yue Hongling was his disciple. Yue Hongling, in turn, reciprocated the gesture, openly identifying herself as “Yue Hongling from Luoxia Mountain Village.” And from that moment on, Luoxia Mountain Village rose to true prominence. Disciples flooded in like a tidal wave, and it became the foremost sect of Huashan. With the newfound wealth of resources, Yue Fenghua himself slowly ascended to the ninth layer of the Profound Gate Realm, a prime example of a master rising in status thanks to his disciple’s success.

By the time Village Lord Luo thought he could threaten Yue Hongling through her sect, the reality was that Luoxia Mountain Village had already become untouchable to the likes of him. He was far from capable of making such threats.

Under normal circumstances, Yue Hongling could have returned home in glory, welcomed with drums and festivities.

But now, things were much more delicate.

Zhao Changhe was King Zhao of the Great Han, placing him at odds with the power structure of Guanlong. Ordinarily, Luoxia Mountain Village’s situation would not be affected by Yue Hongling’s ties to Zhao Changhe, especially since she had never actually returned home. But if she did return now... what would happen? No one could say for sure.

The two sat atop their horse, gazing toward the distant mountain. Yue Hongling remained silent for a long while before speaking in a low voice,

“Even though it might seem like rumors of our relationship are incredibly widespread, it’s actually just mostly limited to gossip within the jianghu. Very few people actually know for sure that we’re together. And given my nature, even if we are in love, I might just run off on my own tomorrow. So, to others, our connection may not be as deep as we think it might seem to them.”

Zhao Changhe’s mouth twitched. “You sound rather pleased with yourself.”

“Hmph. And yet here I am, caught by you. Are you pleased with yourself?”

“...”

“What I’m saying is, if I go back, I can sever all ties to you as far as the outside world is concerned. I can walk in openly and investigate what’s happening in Guanlong without raising any suspicion.”

Zhao Changhe did not like the sound of that. “You’re planning on moving around alone?”

Yue Hongling chuckled softly. “Hey, I’m at the Profound Control Realm. Do you even understand what that means?”

“Not really. I’ve beaten a handful of Profound Control Realm experts at this point.”

“...Pft, I’d say it would be more correct to say that you’ve held a handful of Profound Control Realm experts in your arms.”

Zhao Changhe mentally counted. “...It hasn’t been that many.”

“You actually counted?!” Yue Hongling was torn between laughter and frustration. “Alright, that’s it. Let’s part ways.”

“?”

Zhao Changhe, still holding her around the waist, promptly tightened his grip, his hands creeping upward. “Say that again?”

Yue Hongling melted the moment he grabbed her, her breath hitching as she leaned into his chest. “Don’t... That’s what I’m going to say when I go back. You should get used to it. If we run into each other publicly, don’t blow our cover. It’s just an act, alright? You and that pesky Sisi are pros at this sort of thing.”

It was, without a doubt, the quickest and most direct way to gather intelligence. Zhao Changhe sulked for a moment, then grudgingly conceded. “If we’re splitting up to investigate, we should at least set a meeting place.”

Yue Hongling smiled. “Chang’an has plenty of famous landmarks. We can just pick one... How about the Giant Wild Goose Pagoda[4]? Yuan Cheng mentioned they were in Chang’an before. I’d wager that’s where they were staying. It would also be a good chance to see what’s really happening with Buddhism in Chang’an.”

Zhao Changhe considered it. It made sense. Yuan Cheng had indeed mentioned that their sect had originally been in Chang’an but had to relocate to Xiangyang due to distrust from the authorities. So were there still monks left in Chang’an? If so, did that mean Yuan Cheng was playing both sides? Or, perhaps, was there an opportunity to draw Buddhist forces into the fray? And what of their so-called Buddha, what was their current state?

Slowly, all the scattered pieces of information they had gathered seemed less about the distant Kunlun of the Western Regions and more about Chang’an.

“Stop pinching...” Yue Hongling twisted in his arms, then suddenly leaned in, pressing her lips to his. “Be good now... We’ve only been together for a few days, and you already can’t bear to let me go?”

Zhao Changhe held her waist firmly and kissed her fiercely in response.

Indeed, he had always been used to acting alone. Rarely had there been a time when his Big Sister Yue accompanied him from start to finish, soaring side by side. Now, even though they were only parting briefly, a sensation of discomfort and emptiness found itself gnawing at his heart.

They kissed fiercely for a long while before Yue Hongling, breathless, pushed him away, straightening the collar he had disheveled. Then, without another word, she leaped into the air, flying toward Huashan.

Halfway up, she suddenly turned back and smiled.

“If you want to be together every day, then you better bring peace to the world. When that day comes, Hongling will sheathe her sword, stable her horse, and wash her hands before cooking you dinner.”

Her voice lingered in the air, but her figure had already vanished into the mountains.

Zhao Changhe watched the streak of red disappear into the distance, exhaling deeply as he ruffled his hair.

Yeah... If we want to stay together, we have an entire lifetime ahead of us.

What did she say? Wash her hands and cook me dinner? Pff. As if she’s the kind of person to just go to the kitchen and make me a sandwich. Well, she might, but that’d probably mean making me into a sandwich rather than making a sandwich for me. Though, to be honest, being sandwiched between those thighs... hehe...

1. This is a line from For My Nephew (左迁至蓝关示侄孙湘), a poem by Tang dynasty scholar and poet Han Yu (韩愈). In the line, Qinling refers to the Qin Mountains, while Languan refers to Lan Pass in Shaanxi. ☜

2. Huashan or Mount Hua is a mountain located near the city of Huayin in Shaanxi Province, about 120 km east of Xi’an or Chang’an. ☜

3. This is a reference to a wuxia classic that will be clarified later. ☜

4. This is a real-life seven-story pagoda in southern Xi’an. ☜